Shoetree



Jan. 19, 1937.

J. .GERSHUNE SHOETREE Filed Aug. 21, 195s ILINVENTOR. I g Z- g 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe trees, that is a device to be inserted in a shoe to prevent it from warping when same is not in use; tostretch the shoe and iron out any wrinkles that may have 5 developed in same While wearing it; and thus prolong the fine appearance of the shoe, and provide more comfort to the user of same.

'I'he objects of this invention are, first, to provide a shoe-tree, simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and convenient to use; second, to reduce the total number of parts to a minimum; and third, to provide the shoe tree with simple means for easily adjusting it so that it may be used on various sizes of shoes.

While the above are the primary objects, it is a further object of this invention to provide the shoe tree with an adjusting device which while simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, Will not necessitate the expenditure of too costly die equipment for stamping out the parts of same. It is also intended that this adjustment device be used in other relations as well as ior shoe trees and the like as described here.

It is still a further object of this invention to improve the toe body (the part which fits in the front end of the shoe) in usefulness, capability of being manufactured at a low cost, and in appearance.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which forms part of the following'description;

Figure 1 is a vertical view of the shoe-tree (shown in full lines) with an outline of the toggle arms in position for adjustment (shown in dot and dash lines), and an outline of the shoe (sho-wn in dotted lines);

Figure 2, a plan View of the Shoe-tree with part torn away to expose detail of wall section;

Figure 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4, an end view of the toe-body on line 4 4 of Figure l;

Figure 5, a detail of member 3;

Figure 6, a detail section on the line 66 of Figure 5; and

45 Figure 7, a detail of member 2.

The toe-body I, preferably made of cast aluminum, contains two slots 9 located in the extreme front portion, and a plurality of slotted holes 8, extending longitudinally and located in that 50 part of arch of greatest curvature. The reason for slots 8 being located so is because when the toe-body I is compressed in the front end of the shoe, the tension caused in the shoe at the arch will cause the inner surface of the shoe to stand 55 away slightly from the toe-body I at that part of greatest curvature; resulting in slight air spaces. Therefore, the slots 8, being located in said portion of greatest curvature of arch, will not effect the shape or form effect given the shoe by the toe body I. Another advantage resulting from the slots being located so, is the improved ventilation due to air being allowed thru said slots to f the inside of the shoe Where it is normally not in close contact With the toe-body I.

This combination of slotted holes, arranged in the above described manner, results not only in the economical use of material, but provides the maximum ventilation in the shoe Without sacricing the shape or form effect given it by the toe-body l. Also, a neat and ornamental appearance is given the shoe-tree by the above slot arrangement.

Another feature of the invention is the portion of the wall section I6. Altho the toe-body I may be made of any desired material, I prefer to make same of cast aluminum. In order to produce same at a low production cost, it must be of such form or shape to allow easy and rapid handling in molding at the foundry. Referring to Figure 4, it is seen that the surface Il curves inwardly approximating the normal shape of the human foot. In moldingfor production of castings, the pattern must be' of such shape or form to allow its Withdrawal from the mold. It is evident that if the toe-body I were to be made of uniform wall thickness, it would necessitate the making of cores in order to mold same. I

prefer to make the portion of the wall section I0 thicker (as shown in Figure 2) This feature of the invention makes possible the Withdrawal of the pattern from the mold and eliminates the expense of making cores in the production of these castings. y

The underside of the toe-body I, at its rear end is provided ywith a lug I8. To the lug I 8, o-ne end of the arm 2 is hinged by means of a rivet 1. The other end of arm 2 is provided with a hole I4, in which a shoulder rivet II is rigidly secured (see Figure 3). The arm 3 is provided with an elongated slot I2 including a series of slotted notches I3. The shoulder rivet II is adapted to engage in said slots I2 and I3; at the same time holding the arm 3 between its head 6 and the side of arm 2 (see Figure 3) The arm 3 is also provided with a bent portion 5 extending thruout the length of slot I2, and at a fixed distance W from the slots I3 (that is, from the center line of rivet II When seated in said slot I3). The rivet II is fixed in the arm 2 so that its distance X from edge I5 is less than the distance W; their di'erence being equal to or more than the distance V. The distance Y (from rivet II to edge I6) is made equal (or slightly less if allowance for clearance is made) to distance W. 'I'he distance Z (from rivet II to any part of edge between I5 and I6) is either equal to or less than the distance W; their difference, however, being less than distance V.

It is thus seen from the above description that the edge I6 or any part of edge on arm 2 between I5 and I6 will contact the underside of bent portion 5 (when oppositeto it) and prevent the shoulder rivet II from leaving the slot I3. (See Figure'3,) However, by holding the toggle arms 2 and 3 in position indicated by dot and dash lines (see Figure 1), the edge I 5 will then be brought opposite the underside of bent portion 5; and since W-X is equal or greater than V, the rivet II, will in this position be allowed to leave the slot I3 and enter the elongated slot I2, in which it may be moved along and be inserted in any of the slots I3. The foregoing arrangement enables one to vary the effective length of the toggle arm 3 as desired, and to hold the two toggle members in a pivotal and adjusted position; thereby, permitting the shoevtree to be used for various shoe lengths.

In using the shoe-tree, the toe-body I is inserted inside the front end of the shoe; the toggle arms 2 and 3 held in'position indicated by dot and dash lines (see Figure l); the pivot I I is inserted in one of the slots I3 (selecting the one to suit the size of the shoe used); then the toggle arms 2 and 3 are pushed downwards (by means oi pressure by hand exerted on bent portion 5) thus causing the toe-body I to be pushed inside the iront end of the shoe, and the heel body 4 to be pushed against the inside of the rear end of the shoe; and stretch the shoe in a lengthwise direction. The downward movement of the toggle joint being limited by edge I6 in contact with bent portion 5, the toggle arms 2 and 3 will come to a stop when they have reached the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. In this position, pivot I I is off center below the line oi thrust, and the toggle members 2 and 3 will remain in their locked positions.

The foregoing is a description of a single specic embodiment of my invention which best illustrates it. However, there may be modications in the construction of several parts and in the arrangement of same. For instance;

'I'he toe-body I may comprise a combination of two or more parts; or it may be modified in construction; or it may be made of wood or a different material than indicated by the above description.

The slots I2 and I3 may be incorporated in th toggle arm 2; and the edge I5 and I6 with pivot II in the toggle arm 3.

Ihe slots I2 and I3, or inversely, the edges I5 and I6 with pivot II, may be incorporated in the toe-body I; thus eliminating one of the toggle arms entirely. Y

The elongated slot I2 may be eliminated leaving the slots I3 as notches in one of the members, and other means than slot I2 (within the scope of this invention) provided to prevent complete separation of members.

The pivot II may be an integral part of one 4 of the members, or may be eliminated entirely;

substituting other means of hinging or connecting mjembers (within the scope of claims for this invention).

The heel-body 4, as shown (see Figure 5), is formed integrally with the arm 3 by bending to shape and twisting it; the outside surface being curved inwards (see Figure 6) to prevent edges from making animprint on or tearing the lining of the shoe. While this is one of the features of the invention, the heel body 4, may however, be made of 'Woodif desired, and attached to the toggle arm 3. Y

The two slots 9 in the extreme front end of the toe-body I may be replaced by a single slot.

I-Iaving thus described my invention and apparent modications .of same, I claim:

l. An adjustment device consisting of two members; one of said members provided with a curvilinear end section and a pivot; said pivot adapted for selectively engaging one of a plurality of branching slots-of an elongated slot contained in the other member; and a portion of said other member adapted to abut a portion of said curvilinear end section for the purpose of confining the pivot in the selected branching slot.

2. A toggle joint consisting of a pair of toggle arms; one of said toggle arms provided with a curvilinear end section and a pivot; said pivot adapted forselectively engaging one of a plurality of branching slots of an elongated slot contained in the other toggle arm for obtaining adjustment between said toggle arms; a portion of said other l toggle arm adapted to abut said curvilinear end section for ythe purpose ofv conning the pivot in the selected branching slot; said portion of said other toggle arm adapted to abut a portion eX- tending from one extremity of said curvilinear section for the purpose of locking said toggle arms in any one of their adjusted positions; and said portion of said other toggle arm adapted to abut a portion of the other extremity of said curvilinear section for the purpose of permitting said pivot to be released from the selected branching slot.

, JULIUS GERSHUNE. 

